On 20 December 2017, the Home Affairs Portfolio, including the Department of Home Affairs, was formally established.

The establishment of the Portfolio brings together Australia's federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs and immigration and border-related functions and agencies, working together to keep Australia safe.

About

On 18 July 2017 the Prime Minister announced reforms to Australia's national security and intelligence arrangements. These reforms involved establishing a Department of Home Affairs and a Home Affairs Portfolio.

The Department of Home Affairs is a central policy agency, providing coordinated strategy and policy leadership for Australia's national and transport security, federal law enforcement, criminal justice, cyber security, border, immigration, multicultural affairs, emergency management and trade related functions. The Department of Home Affairs includes the entirety of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. It also includes national security, emergency management and criminal justice functions from the
Attorney-General's Department; the Office of Transport Security from the
Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development; multicultural affairs from the
Department of Social Services; and the counter-terrorism coordination and cyber security policy functions from the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The Department of Home Affairs, and the wider Portfolio, was officially stood up on 20 December 2017. References to functions under previous departments are being progressively updated in the first half of 2018.